From Yuki's point of view. At the former site of "Fira Village"...



　I was standing at the entrance to the Village of Fira for the first time in 200 years.
　The village was more intact than I had expected.

There are stone walls around the Village of Fira to ward off evil spirits. It was built a long time ago.
　This one has remained largely intact.
　But the door that was used as a gate to the castle is now off and lying on the ground.
　If you look closely you can see that the fittings for the connection part had rusted.
　That's what happens when you're exposed to the wind and rain for a long time. Well, I guess it's not much of a choice.

　As I took Odette through the gate, a familiar village came into view.
　This village that I hadn't been to in 200 years it was quiet.

　There was no sound of people talking at all.
　The only sounds were the sound of the wind shaking the trees in the mountains and the birds' calls.
　The only sound is the sound of an army of bats lingering on the branches of trees and under the eaves of buildings.

''Well really ... there's no one here.

　No voices, no figures, no nothing.
　All that's left is an empty house.
　Only about half of it remains intact.
　The rest of the roof is crumbling and the walls are cracked and early on, it's all broken by age.

　But it doesn't look like it's been vandalized by animals or demons.
　It seems that my messenger and his descendants have really been protecting the village for a long time.

　I took a look inside the house it was neat and tidy.
　The guys in the village must have left the village after taking the necessary belongings and cleaning it up properly.

''Well that's a relief.
Really?
I wondered what we'd do if there was a dead white bone in the village.

　The house is properly and normally broken down.
　There's no signs of burning, no signs of man-made damage.

　I have to admit, I was a little worried.
　I thought the Sanctuary Church might have attacked the villagers after I died.

　But there's no sign of a battle.
　After I died, the villagers obeyed the Sanctuary Church. The Sanctuary Church accepted it and didn't attack the villagers.
　This is finally confirmed.

　Well, after that, Lyle sneaked into the Sanctuary Church and did a lot of things.

''d*mn. Don't let the guardian gods worry you.
He's a hard worker. Yuki.

　The next thing I know, Odette is holding my hand.
　She's shaking her golden hair and smiling at me as if to reassure me.

'Did you notice?　You looked so nervous the whole time you were here, didn't you?
Really?
'Yes. I'm glad to see that the villagers have escaped safely.

　Then Odette looked around the village with interest.

...And this is the village where Yuki and Iris lived in their previous life, right?

　I sighed as if I was moved.

　There is nothing in the abandoned village of "Fira".
　There are bats hiding in the shadows of houses and under the eaves of the roof.
　I don't think there's anything interesting for Odette to see," she said.

Yuki. What is that thing that has been built into the slope over there?
Terraced fields.
Terraced fields...
'There's a water source on the north side of the mountain where the water flows naturally. It's a system that produces crops up there that need a lot of water, and crops down there that don't need as much water.
How do you keep your water supply up?
I used magic to find the source of the water and set aside three spots. Two of them are clean spring water. You can drink out of them.
Yes, that's right.

　Odette nods with a complicated look on her face.
　There's nothing interesting about it.

Do you see some kind of fence on that slope over there?
'It's a trap for catching prey. Seeing as how the prey was left hanging, it looks like the villagers didn't remove it.
Well, what's the big building over there?
It's a public bathhouse. It's a public bathhouse, and it draws water from the source. Sanitation is so important that you can wash yourself at any time. Unfortunately, we were only able to make small heat-resistant bath tubs that could boil hot water.
By the way, what about that little hut next to it?
'There is a message board in the village over there. I've told them to write down information about the appearance of demons, what they notice in the village, and anything they want to ask me to do. It's what we call information sharing.
What about that little field and cabin next to it?
'That's a herb garden and a lab. There was a family that liked that sort of thing, so I built the facility. I think they've been selling potions and stuff to the nearby towns for generations.
Next door is the blacksmithing establishment with a hairpiece in the works...
I've got a master crafter. He's an ancestor of the Grail Merchant Company's Rhodesia. I heard he ordered some stuff. I wasn't really interested, so I just helped him with the materials.
............huh.

　Odette rolls her eyes.

'Disappointing, huh?　Alice and Rodelia said a lot of things, but this is just a normal village. There's nothing interesting for Odette to see here.
Yuki.
Yeah.
This is a 200-year-old village, isn't it?
It's a 200-year-old village.
How can you be so functional?

　Odette dropped to her knees on the ground and nodded discouragingly.

''I can't help but feel defeated. Even in the domain of the Duke of Surrey, no village is this advanced. What is the meaning of this village?
I'm not so sure.
'Yes, sir!　In the first place, it's strange to have such a large village on top of a mountain. How did you expand your land?
We all worked hard.
What happened to the demon in the mountains?
'Me and the guys in my village used to get rid of them regularly. All the people in my village can use normal magic.
It's amazing.

　No, it's not that impressive.
　Why are you slumping your shoulders in disappointment? Odette.

'I've just helped her adjust things over the last 150 years. The Duke of Surrey could do this with someone as alive as he is.
Yuki.
What the f*ck?
How would you like to play guardian god in the Duke of Surrey's estate?
I won't do it. If we do that, we'll be noticed by the Magic Guild.

　Besides, they were the ones who actually remade the village.
　I just listened to their opinions and helped them "vaguely".
　I couldn't do the same thing in another village.

"The people in this village would have done reasonably well without me. Maybe.
'I don't know. It is.

　Odette nodded her head.

''Isn't it because there was such a guardian god (you) who was absolutely on their side and who would remember them even after they died that the villagers were able to work without worry?
Well that's about it.
I am a human being. Trust me.
'I see, I'm a human novice. I should listen to my seniors.
No, no, Yuki and I are the same age, aren't we?

　Odette laughed, with a troubled look on her face.

　Then I headed to the old castle where I used to live.
　The old castle is located halfway up the mountain in the village of Fira, and beyond that is the old castle I was in.
　It's difficult to see it from here because it's hidden among the trees, but........

"........as I thought, the roof was broken.

　There's a big hole in the roof of the old castle. There are scorch marks around the hole.
　It seems they were burned by a spell. Was it the work of the Sanctuary Church?

　I held Odette in my arms and activated my "flight" skill.
　I kicked off the roof of the village and climbed up the trees to a foothold.

　We went straight to the top of the old castle.
　And when we entered through the large hole in the roof - there was a familiar large hall.

"This is........your 'throne room' in your previous life?
The people in the village would call it that for fun. This is just a study room. This chair was made by a blacksmith and used year after year for repairs.

　That chair is crumbling underneath a bunch of rocks.
　I don't even know where I died. I can't even see the bloodstains anymore.

"This was the children's study room not so much a babysitting room as a child's room. Alice and her parents, Lyle and Remilia, have been here for years, learning to write and do math.
What have you been doing with the material?
'We didn't have books, so sometimes I'd fly down to the port city with a guy with a good memory and we'd memorize the bard's songs. When we got back, we'd transcribe them into words and use them as teaching aids. The math side of things it had to do with magic. I was making all sorts of study tools with my handwriting.
'What is that, your gifted education? What higher nobleman are you?
No, I'm just having fun being the village guardian, and I just...

　That was a long time ago, too.
　Lyle and Remilia are gone.
　I was killed, and I was reincarnated, and Alice came along for the ride.
　Back then, 'We are righteous. You're the Demon King!' The Sanctuary Church, which was gaining momentum, is now a taboo subject. The kingdom that supported it was destroyed and the Ancient Artifacts were lost.

I guess the right thing to do is change after 200 years.
You're not angry that they killed you...
''The people in the 'Sanctuary Church' are all under the grave. If he comes out as a dead spirit, I'll be glad to beat him to death.
But there are still remnants of the 'Sanctuary Church'
I'll let the Magical Guild handle them. That's why I left the 'Spiritual King (Lord of) Horsemen (Phantom)' behind.
''And ... your 'King's Horse' (Lord) is here for you?'''
If I'm right. Down the hall.

　I left the Throne Room.

　The corridors of the old castle were covered with rough earth.
　It was because the roof was torn. It wasn't raining, so it wasn't as bad as it could be.

　Odette's walking quietly by my side.
　I'm glad she's with me.
　The way she looks at me, it's like she's reminded me of what we're doing in 200 years.

　This was my home in a previous life, where I lived and died.
　I lived here, I have 150 years of memories of my life.
　When I walk around the old castle, I feel like I'm back in the past.

　But now, walking beside me is Odette. My friend from this time period, and Iris' best friend.
　And I have a pocketful of Martha's handkerchief in my pocket.
　She let me keep it in my pocket before I left on my journey.
　Martha is supposed to be waiting for me to return, teaching Remy the errand boy how to cook.
　Their presence reminds me that this is 200 years from now.

I mean, I can see how Odette is a good guy.
What the hell are you talking about?
No, I'm just glad Odette came with me.
Well that's what I'm talking about.

　Odette looked away from her reddened face.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. As a sorcerer.
''If there's a 'King's Horse (Lord)', I'll ask Odette to check it out with me. Maybe ... it should be somewhere around here.

　I stopped right below the 'throne room'.
　The place is in the middle of the hallway that leads to the lower floor.
　There is a stone wall in front of me.

'Ophelia said. 'A wise souvenir at the bottom of the room where the chief of the people learned,'
"The upper throne room is the study room, right below it. Oh, I see. I see.

　I mean, I can't think of anything else.
　Lyle's guy, you should have twisted it a bit more...?

There is a hidden door in here. I'm the only one who knows how to open it, myself and a past village chief.
What is this room for?
It's a health care repository for the villagers. Who can't eat what, who's susceptible to colds, and so on.
You have been the village's guardian angel all along. You are.
'It's also a room to remember the dead guys. People don't know what happened to them before their great-grandfather. I just wanted to keep a record of them.
It's a good story.
'Also, Alice was trying to force me to unlock it and confuse a parchment with my three sizes on it.
It didn't matter to me!
I think I can use my old pass. I'll open it.

　I hurt my fingertips and smeared 'Magic Blood (Myster Blood)' on the wall.
　A letter appears on the wall.


─ ─ 'Dean-Nosferatu and the promise to the oldest villager'.


　I utter the password and there's a hole in the wall.
　It opened up enough to allow a few people to get through in a row.

　I made a magical light and then walked in with Odette's hand.



'...........This is the hidden room.



　Odette gave a small sigh.

　The interior of the hidden room was a large space.
　Originally, there had to have been a bookcase here. Now that had all been taken down.

　The villager files were placed in waterproof bags and stacked in the corners of the room.
　The way they were placed, corner to corner, was definitely Lyle-Carmine's.
　That guy seems to have taken the bookcase somewhere after he had cleaned up the room exactly.

Well, you can't get in if you have a bookcase. This is (this...)

　Instead of a bookshelf, the one occupying the room was - a jet black armor.
　It is about twice as large as a person's height. It's about the same size as that 'Lord of the Phantoms'.

　The difference is the huge wings that grow on its back.
　They are made of thin metal and are soft and pliable.
　I wonder if it can fly if it has wings.

　On its head, it has a full-face helmet. There are large, twisted horns on the left and right sides of its head.
　It looks very strange. The claws on both arms are also vicious.
　If you were to be hit by such a thing, even a knight in a suit of armor would be blown away. The entire horse.

"This is Yuki's 'Lord'...
Yeah. It's the legacy of Alice's father, Lyle-Carmine.

　On the floor in front of the armor, there were letters carved into the floor.
　The letters a bit to the left are definitely Lyle's.
　The writing is short.
　It's just.



"To the dumbass who inflicted an indelible trauma on you, I give you this.
　I don't want you to die again. I don't want you to ever have to die again.

　"To my lord, I present the royal horseman, Lord of Nosferatu.



'How much trouble did you have to go through ... to do this? You.

　My head is starting to hurt.
　Lyle left one of the "King's Horsemen (Lord)" here to prevent anyone from killing me ever again?
　That's too much. How much is too much?

　You were the one who killed me, infiltrated the Church of the Sanctuary and rose to the top until you were called a wise man... and finally betrayed the Church of the Sanctuary, sealed the Ancient Artifacts, and stole the Lord of the Rings to bring it to you.
　You've worked too hard, dude.
　If a bard sings the story, they'll complain that you're spreading the story too thin. I know.

"Well, I'm sure Lyle didn't do it all by himself, but...
The people in your village were amazing.
All I wanted was for you to forget about your dead guardian angel and go on living your life without a care in the world.

　Apparently, they were raised the wrong way.
　I mean, those guys have too many specs.

Really ... it's a great group of people. You guys.

　I don't know where you died, Lyle.
　But I'm sure I'll find your grave someday.
　It's not impossible for Lyle and Remilia to have become immortalized in the Ancient Magic.

　But I've told them many times not to take any chances.
　And yet.... And now look at you two. I don't know what to do....

This.........what are you going to do about it? Yuki.
I'm just going to try it on.
I was hoping you would say that.

　Under the light of magic, Odette held her mouth and laughed.

'If I can move it, I'll sneak it back to King's Landing. If it's too difficult, I'll leave it here and come back to study it from time to time.
You can't know it's here. I'll try to keep it a secret too.
Thanks.
But I'd like to take part in the study, if I could.

　Odette said, and made her formal bow as a noble princess.

If this 'Lord' is a good thing for the world today, I want to know what it does. I hope that the people of the Duke of Surrey's house will be able to live as comfortably as possible.
Okay. Well I'm going to give it a try.

　First, hack in with the "Myster Blood" and see what happens.
　If it looks safe, I'll put it on and try to move it.
　



"Goshujin........!



　When I was thinking about this, Dick jumped in from the hidden door.

''It's urgent! Cliff has come from Ofelia-san's place!
"...Cliff?

　Cliff the bat and his former pup, Garum, should have been left with Ofelia.
　And that Cliff is ... here?

What happened?　Cliff.
"A demon has come out of Torrius territory.

　Dick said.

'It's the same type as that 'armed ogre', a demon in a yoloi!　Also, they say there's a shadow in the back that looks like a human sorcerer!　Torrius is under attack.

　He stayed on my shoulder, and in a rushed voice, Dick told me that.